Summer 2008
GLEN PARK NEWS
Volume 26, No. 2
Prices aren’t up, yet, at Pebbles.
Glen Park Grocers, Eateries
Feeling the Pinch
Young Kim, the owner of Tyger’s, has
sausage on his mind. For Mark Fuentes
at Eggettes, it’s canned lychees. Cheese
Boutique’s Rick Malouf keeps an eye on
the garbanzo beans and tahini.
All over Glen Park, the proprietors
of markets and eateries are warily
watching the price of
by
eggs, butter and milk go
up and up, then up some
Gail
Bensinger more. They are listening
to the talk of recession
and the dollar’s weakness
in comparison to foreign currencies.
And then there’s the $4-plus-per-gal-
lon price of gasoline.
In the downtown business district
along Diamond and Chenery streets,
the restaurateurs and grocers, sand-
wich-makers, sous chefs and short-order
cooks all report keeping a more vigilant
eye on the bottom line.
In a recent sampling of Glen Park’s
food businesses, the owners had similar
stories: They are struggling to keep up
Official Newspaper of the Glen Park Association Published Quarterly
www.glenparkassociation.org
prices—yet—but laments that a hoped-
for bump in business when the library
opened across the street didn’t material-
ize. Even things like straws and paper
napkins now cost more, she said. “The
economy is really bad.”
At Cheese Boutique, Malouf, taking
a break from stemming parsley to make
tabouli, listed the increases in wholesale
prices for the array of foods he stocks.
A large proportion of the cheeses come
from Europe, where the euro-dollar
exchange rate is at record highs. And
it’s not just cheese—all groceries are up
more than 10 percent and some items
far more, he said. “In the good old
days, all small shop owners never used
to look at the prices on the invoices. If
the price went up, it was by a nickel,”
he recalled.
Photo by Liz Mangelsdorf
That’s no longer true.
Even the specialty items from non-
European countries have risen dramati-
cally. A canister of Lebanese tahini big
enough for him to use as a step-stool
used to cost $60, he said. Now that
with the increases in costs of foodstuffs crucial ingredient for homemade hum-
without driving away their loyal neigh- mus is $84. Dried garbanzo beans are Everyone knew him.
borhood customers, many of whom are $19.50 a bag, up from $15.50. The store Photo courtesy of the Loftin family
also feeling the pinch.
“Everybody knows everybody’s
price of hummus stayed stable at $1.99
for 17 years, he said, but in the past year Neighborhood
hurting, so it’s hard to turn around and it’s gone up by 25 cents—twice.
up the price,” said Tyger’s waitress Malouf gave a short course in the Says Farewell
Sandy Nam, whose cousin, Kim, has economics of a small business like his:
owned the popular breakfast and lunch
spot for 28 years.
The difference between the wholesale
and retail prices isn’t all profit; markups
To 97-Year Old
Local Cowboy
Sheena Lee at Pebbles Café on Dia- are what pay the rent, utilities, labor,
mond Street worries that her regulars taxes, such supplies as plastic wrap and
drop by less often. She hasn’t raised CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Henry “Cheyenne” Loftin died May 14,
a few months shy of his 98th birthday,
having survived Winnie,
Glen Park Association Quarterly Meeting by his wife of 70 years, by
Murray nearly a decade, and each
Wednesday, July 9th, 2008, 7 p.m. Schneider of the couple’s three adult
Glen Park Recreation Center children. He was a neigh-
(Note this meeting location) borhood icon, having lived on the corner
of Chenery and Lippard streets for well
Supervisor Bevan Dufty, District 8 over half a century.
Staff from Recreation & Park Department At Tyger’s, where he moseyed in
Other City Staff each morning at 6:40 a.m. for a break-
CONTINUED ON PAGE 8
Glen Park News Page 2 Summer 2008

From the Editors

The spate of armed robberies in Glen
Park this spring—detailed in the daily
crime dispatches from Ingleside police
station and quickly spread via word-
of-mouth and e-mail reports from
neighbor to neighbor and shopkeeper
to shopkeeper—sparked widespread
concern and outrage.
Friday, April 11, 7:50 p.m.: A teen-
age punk, with two accomplices nearby,
approaches a 36-year-old woman as she
walks up Roanoke Street from Arlington
Street and demands her purse.
Thursday, April 17, 9 p.m.: A teen-
ager wearing a black hooded sweatshirt
gets out of a car and points a handgun
at a Glen park man walking home. The
intended victim hides behind a parked
car. He hears a clicking sound, coming
from the robber’s handgun. The assail-
ant flees in a getaway car.
Monday, April 21, 9:30 p.m.: A
Eureka Valley man is held up at gun-
point after work at Natick and Wilder
Glen Park News
2912 Diamond St. #407
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 908-6728
news@glenparkassociation.org
streets, and has his laptop and wallet
snatched.
Monday, April 28, 8:45 a.m.: A 41-
year-old woman is pushed to the ground
and has her purse snatched as she waits
for a bus on Diamond near Bosworth.
Monday, April 28, 5:53 p.m.: A
50-year-old woman loses her purse to a
robber at Chenery and Miguel streets.
Monday, May 19, 8:25 p.m.: A
strong-arm robber pushes a Glen Park
woman to the ground from behind as
she walks on the 400 block of Laidley
Street. The culprit grabs her handbag
and runs to a waiting car. The victim
starts to follow him but is pushed to the
ground by another man.
Those are just some examples of the
crimes that have hit us close to home.
The Glen Park News will continue to
track this troubling issue and keep the
neighborhood informed.
In this issue we bring you two per-
spectives on the crime spree: Officer
Michael Walsh, whose “On Patrol” col-
umn is on Page 13, gives us his take as a
police officer. Michael Rice, president
of the Glen Park Association, tells his
story from a victim’s point of view on
Page 3.
Together, as neighbors, we
demanded meetings with leaders at
City Hall and the top brass at the Police
Department. We organized block-watch
programs. In response, police assigned
more uniformed and undercover officers
to patrol Glen Park. For now, at least,
the stepped-up vigilance appears to be
paying off; the number of street robber-
ies appears to be tapering off.
The concern and outrage that
initially sparked fear later turned into
productive action from neighbors and
merchants who stepped up to say,
“Enough!” Glen Park is not—and will
not become—a neighborhood of seclu-
sion. We are a neighborhood of, well,
neighborliness, and all the good that
comes with that: helping one another,
looking out for one another, working
with each other. n
Correction:
An article in the Spring 2008 issue of
the Glen Park News incorrectly listed
the ownership of the restaurant Le
P’tit Laurent. The building is owned
by Modern Past’s Ric López; he does
not own the restaurant. The Glen Park
News regrets the error.

The mission of the Glen Park Association is to promote the collective

interests of all persons living in Glen Park, to inform and educate about
Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Weise
Deputy Editor Rachel Gordon
neighborhood and citywide issues, to promote sociability and friend-
Photo Editor Liz Mangelsdorf
ships and to support beneficial neighborhood projects.
Design Editor Mary Mottola Join the
Copy Editor Denis Wade GPA Board of Directors and Officers for 2007 Glen Park Association
Advertising Nora Dowley
President Michael Rice 337-9894 Only $10 per person
Reporters Gail Bensinger president@glenparkassociation.org
Dolan Eargle Vice-President Michael Ames PO Box 31292
Jean Halprin vp@glenparkassociation.org San Francisco, CA 94131
Ashley Hathaway Treasurer Dennis Mullen 239-8337 or online at
Andrea O’Leary Recording Secretary Kim Watts 902-4767 www.glenparkassociation.org
Murray Schneider
Corresponding Secretary Tiffany Farr 215-2320
Bonnee Waldstein
Membership Secretary Heather World
Molly Wright

Health & Environment

membership@glenparkassociation.org
Volunteer needed
Glen Park News
Columnists Vince Beaudet
Bevan Dufty health@glenparkassociation.org The Glen Park News is pub-
Susan Evans Neighborhood Improvement John Walmsley 452-0277 lished quarterly by the Glen
Alma Hecht Glen Park News Elizabeth Weise 908-6728 Park Association. Signed
Miriam Moss news@glenparkassociation.org articles are the opinions of
Michael Rice Public Safety Carolyn Deacy
the authors and not neces-
Denise Sanderson safety@glenparkassociation.org
Michael Walsh Recreation & Park Richard Craib 648-0862 sarily those of the Glen Park
Traffic, Parking & Transportation Volunteer needed Association.
Photographers Elizabeth Mangelsdorf
transportation@glenparkassociation.org To advertise in the Glen
Ellen Rosenthal
Zoning & Planning D. Valentine
Michael Waldstein Park News call 908-6728
dk_valentine@yahoo.com
Program Volunteer needed or e-mail advertising@
glenparkassociation.org.
Summer 2008 Page 3 Glen Park News

Glen Park Association News

Officers asked me to come to
Ingleside Station to give another Letter to the
Editor
report to the robbery inspectors.
This stretched into two hours, but
It was Monday morning, April 28. I A moment later, a woman who had the police had recovered a gun and
looked out from my been walking just behind me asked, my bag, and were working hard to
hotel room to the top of “What just happened?” But she knew. make a case. I watched the comings To the Editors:
by the Eiffel Tower. I had A quick call to 911 brought three or and goings in the station house, the
Michael just had breakfast with four patrol cars to the scene within cops all appearing calm and profes- It was fun and freezing cold when I
Rice a colleague at the cré- minutes. sional throughout the long evening. sketched the Glen Park scene recently.
perie downstairs. The As I gave my story, I realized I had I was dropped at home at mid- I’ve been visiting different neighbor-
day before, I walked by expected perhaps one car to come and night. hoods in San Francisco. Each feels
the Arc de Triomphe and enjoyed steak- take a routine report. This was a big The next Monday, a robbery like a village with its own personality.
frites and red wine at a good café. The response. A sergeant said, “I sent out inspector at the Hall of Justice called, Glen Park was unique as people
weather was very warm for spring. a lot of units as soon as your call came still trying for an identification of the actually talked with each other instead
My cell phone in.” Then, I sensed a suspects, but also to let me know I of their cell phones, as they walked
rang, and my Parisian lot of radio chatter and could recover the contents of my bag, along on their errands. Some of them
reverie in the Paris As soon as I saw some units moved out mostly business papers. My wallet— stopped to talk with me as I sketched. I
Las Vegas Hotel was quickly. The neighbor minus the cash but with all my cards vote Glen Park as the Friendliest Neigh-
sidetracked: I was two men running walking behind me and ID—was in the bag. The police borhood!
in Las Vegas for the who witnessed the are keeping the bag for the time being, Does Glen Park have a 4th of July
American Planning at me, feet away, mugging and I were for a possible DNA match. parade?
Association annual asked to do a “cold The last thing I said to the
conference, and Jane, I knew there was show” over in nearby Chronicle reporter was that the story Sincerely,
my wife, was calling to Bernal Heights, where should be about the neighborhood, Audrey Hulburd
let me know a Chron- trouble. Their words, two suspects had been not about me. This is a neighborhood Greenbrae, Calif.
icle story on crime in stopped. where someone found my keys after
Glen Park and Bernal the gun, the hands As reported in the robbers tossed them away, asked
Heights had appeared. the press, plainclothes around if anyone was missing them Ed. note: Ms. Hulburd sent us a
“Michael Rice knows grabbing at my officers on patrol there and heard from Eric Whittington, lovely sketch of our village, which
San Francisco’s Glen had been approached proprietor of the Bird & Beckett we present on page 10. She’s also
Park…” was the lead. pockets took maybe by two teenagers, who bookstore, that they were mine. And looking for an apartment to rent
Since the night of had run from them but I got them back. Thursdays through Saturdays, to
March 12, when I was 30 seconds... were caught. Were I appreciate the concern and sup- get to spend more time here. If you
robbed at gunpoint on these the same men port from my friends, but we have all know of a suitable arrangement for
Chenery Street, I have who had accosted me? seen a strong community response. “a single senior from Marin,” please
retold the events to the police, on the Officers put me in the back of a patrol The police are doing a very good job contact us at news@glenparkassoci
Glen Park Association listserv, in the car—a ride I do not recommend, with with the resources they have. We have ation.org.
Glen Park News, to the Chronicle, and a grille in your face and a hard plastic to keep our eyes open, work with our
to countless concerned friends and bench seat—for a quick ride to Cortland neighbors, and move forward. n
neighbors. Avenue. There, officers had detained a
Some personal reflections on that suspect and shined a light on him, ask-
night: ing if he was one of the culprits who had
As soon as I saw two men running just robbed me. I just couldn’t identify
at me, feet away, I knew there was him.
trouble. Their words, the gun, the hands Police held another man near
grabbing at my pockets took maybe 30 Holly Park. I couldn’t ID him, either.
seconds, and they ran off. I realize I Yet, the shoulder bag snatched from
was completely calm. Let them do it me just a short time before was the in
and go, I felt. the park bushes close by.
Glen Park News Page 4
Perch owner Zoel Fages and customer.
Perch Offers Eclectic Mix of
Home and Gift Items
Jewelry, home accents, unique greet-
ing cards, and luscious lotions are a
few of the delightful
by treasures you will find
Ashley inside the newest Glen
Hathaway Park neighborhood
store. Perch opened in
February and seems to have nestled
in nicely.
When you visit the store, chances
are you will find owner Zoel Fages
greeting you with a friendly smile.
His idea for the name "Perch" came
from a desire for his customers to feel
welcomed, stay in the store—perch for
a bit—and enjoy discovering all the
truly unique items he sells.
Fages has worked in the retail
business since he was 16 years old.
His experience ranges from small bou-
tiques to international enterprises. He
says he knew he was ready to express
his own point of view. He created
Perch to highlight unique collections
that range from local designers to
independent producers from around
the world.
Summer 2008
Photo by Ashley Hathaway
Fages says, “I don’t sell anything
that I don’t like,” and emphasizes he
doesn’t want to sell things just because
they may be trendy and available in
other stores. He works hard searching
for local designers' crafts to showcase,
as well as items from other parts of the
country, France and England.
One of the more notable jewelry
collections, under the name Kato’s
Charm, is designed by Glen Park
resident Beth VanDusen. Each piece
of her precious metal jewelry on
sale at Perch is crafted from casts
embossed with foliage from Glen
Canyon Park!
Other eclectic offerings of note
include baby and children’s prod-
ucts, glassware, tableware, garden
tools, tote bags and organic beauty
products. n
Perch, 654 Chenery St., is open
Tuesday–Saturday, 11–7, and Sun-
day, 11–4. Visit the Perch website at
www.perchsf.com
Summer 2008 Page 5 Glen Park News

Bitter Over Bus Lines

Tales from the Spring Glen Park Association Meeting
Didn’t make it to the Glen Park Asso-
ciation Meeting April 9, despite your
best intentions? Long-time Glen Park
resident Bonnee Waldstein gives us a
warts-and-all description. Participa-
tory democracy is a messy thing…
It was billed as a Town Hall Meeting
for District 8 matters. Supervisor
Bevan Dufty gathered a major group
of officials represent-
by ing hot-button agen-
Bonnee cies—BART; Municipal
Waldstein Transportation Agency
(MTA), which over-
sees Muni and Department of Parking
and Traffic; Public Works; Recreation
and Park; and others—so Glen Park
residents could get the latest news,
information and plans, and voice their
concerns to those directly responsible
for the services we rely on every day.
To begin with, people were grumpy.
Then things got worse. Some saw the
assemblage of invited guests as the
golden opportunity to vent long-held
frustrations. Others wanted to pub-
licly test their favorite theories of
officialdom’s hidden agendas.
First up was BART. Molly Burke,
community relations representative,
described the process of developing
the site of the current BART parking
lot on Bosworth across the street from
the station. This is one of the projects
in the Glen Park Community Plan
approved in 2003. The BART board,
in seeking a developer, has drafted a
Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for
the right to work on the planning effort.
The selected developer would then
submit a proposal consistent with the
community plan and the City’s regional
plan.
One concerned merchant waved a
copy of a report, in which he claimed
that BART had already approved a
plan to turn the site over for 58 units
of low-income housing. The BART
representative pointed out that the
report was a graduate student thesis
and as such had no bearing on the
actual process. What the BART board
unanimously approved after the thesis
was submitted, was the move toward
putting out the RFQ for developers.
Furthermore, the City dictates that
use of BART-owned land can be used
only for transit-oriented projects. (See
story on Page 7 for more details.)
Another person felt “nervous” in
general about development, character-
izing the library-market-condo complex
as resembling a “Russian gulag.”
Next came a presentation by
MTA’s Julie Kirschbaum on the
Transit Effectiveness Project, the
first comprehensive review of the
Muni system in a generation. After 18
months of collecting data, they have
come up with a set of initial proposals
to improve Muni’s reliability, predict-
ability and efficiency. Proposals that
will affect transit in Glen Park include
elimination of the 26-Valencia bus; the
Glen Park segment would remain with
some changes, and become part of a
new 36-bus line.
This idea went over like a lead
balloon. There was much dismay over
the suggested diminution of service
in the neighborhood. One resident
announced plans to have the restora-
tion of the 26-line placed on the next
election ballot, and solicited legisla-
tive assistance in the effort. (See story
on Page 9.)
Several Roanoke Street residents
kept cool, while detailing their con-
cerns about a proposal that would have
the new 36 bus take a curious turn
from Chenery Street, up Roanoke,
over Bemis, and down Mateo back
onto Chenery. Tom Yurch, who lives
on Roanoke, cited the steepness of the
street, which makes it unsafe for bus
travel—a cement truck lost its load
on the hump of the hill. Pollutants
would spew out as the bus struggled
on its way up. The narrowness of
the streets would preclude two buses
going in opposite directions, not to
mention existing street parking on
either side.
Other possible changes from
the review: more frequent service,
especially during midday, on the 44-
O’Shaughnessy; the J-Church could
be extended to San Francisco State
University and maybe to Stonestown.
Muni has already gotten more than
800 comments on the various propos-
als citywide. They will process them
all and go to the MTA board in July,
followed by an environmental assess-
ment that will take a year. The final
proposals will then go back to the
MTA board and on to the Board of
Supervisors for final approval.
The new head of the Department
of Public Works, Ed Riskin, spoke
about the Ambassador Program in the
Glen Park village. It provides young
workers, who maintain the cleanliness
of the commercial corridor. All agreed
the program is much appreciated as
well as needed. Riskin then got an
earful about the various sick and dam-
aged trees that pose a safety hazard in
the neighborhood, particularly those
in the park that threaten houses along
Elk Street. Repeated calls for action
have yielded no results. He cited the
resources needed to address the winter
storm damage, but had to admit his
department doesn’t have the people
power to get to work on all the needs
in a timely manner.
Supervisor Dufty and Karen
Mauney-Brodek of Rec and Park gave
an update on the Prop. A parks bond
fund, which passed in the February
election and provides $185 million
for needed maintenance and upgrades.
Glen Canyon Park is slated to get $5.8
million for Phase I improvements, and
could get part of a $5 million com-
munity opportunity grant fund.
A planning process involving the
community will be initiated to set priori-
ties for projects in the park. Someone
complained about the staggering needs
in the park, particularly the rec center,
and how $5.8 million is a drop in the
bucket. Dufty put things in perspec-
tive by responding that three parks in
our district made the cut for receiving
funds, including Mission Dolores Play-
ground and Mission Playground. Sean
Elsbernd of District 11, who sponsored
the bond issue in the first place, saw the
parks in his district fall short of receiv-
ing any funds at all. Dufty therefore
didn’t feel it would be quite politic to
complain about the share we got in our
district.
The first bonds will be issued this
fall, and after a master planning pro-
cess, projects should get under way in
Glen Canyon Park in fall 2009.
Finally, traffic calming was the
issue elucidated by Philip Louie, trans-
portation engineer with the MTA. The
traffic-calming program aims to slow
traffic down and increase auto and
pedestrian safety through a variety of
methods. Recently completed proj-
ects are the speed bumps on Lippard
and Brompton alongside Glen Park
Elementary School, and the traffic
island on O’Shaughnessy at Malta.
Still in the works are a gateway at
O’Shaughnessy near Elk; a crosswalk
at Diamond Heights Boulevard and
Sussex; a channeling island at Circu-
lar and Hearst, and a traffic circle at
Addison and Digby streets.
By this time, two hours in, even
traffic calming was a contentious issue.
The only one who caught a break at the
meeting was Supervisor Gerardo San-
doval, of District 11, running for S.F.
Superior Court judge, who just came
to say hi. n
Glen Park News Page 6
Eyedentity owner Carrie Lee.
New Vision Center is a
Welcoming Sight—
Last Year’s Fire-ravaged
Building Houses New Shop
Having breakfast one morning in Glen
Park turned out to be quite a busi-
ness opportunity for Dr. Carrie Lee,
O.D. and her husband Tony Chung.
Upon leaving Tyger's restaurant they
noticed that the space
by previously occupied by
Ashley the framing shop Art
Hathaway for Art was empty and
available—and they
both thought at that moment that
this was the opportunity they had
been waiting for.
Lee and Chung live on Twin Peaks,
and have always liked the Glen Park
neighborhood. She has been in private
practice as an optometrist for four years
and previously worked in another San
Francisco optometry practice. For
quite some time she had had a strong
desire to open her own vision center
in Glen Park, but there had been no
available spaces.
Lee and her husband quickly seized
the opportunity to take over the vacant
space and on April 8 they opened Eye-
dentity Vision - Vision Wellness and
Eyewear.
A San Francisco native, Lee
grew up in the Sunset District. At
UC Berkeley she earned her doc-
torate of optometry in 2004 and
has since completed professional
internships at the Tacoma VA hos-
pital, Lovelace Medical Center in
Albuquerque, and at San Francisco’s
VA medical center. She serves on
the Board of Governors of the San
Summer 2008
Photo by Michael Waldstein
Francisco Optometric Society and is
a member of the American Optomet-
ric Association and the California
Optometric Association.
Chung manages the front office,
and helps vision patients make the
right decisions for eyewear. Lee says,
“Some of our clients seem to like the
fact that we are a husband and wife
team, and we have really enjoyed
getting to know more people in the
neighborhood.”
She emphasizes that people who
come to her for vision services will
never feel rushed. She prides herself
on taking the time for each eye exam,
educating clients about eye health and
their specific eye care needs, and mak-
ing sure each patient makes the right
choice for their eyes.
Some of the many services avail-
able at Eyedentity Vision include
comprehensive eye examinations
for adults and children, contact lens
fittings, a full-service optical bou-
tique, and screenings for glaucoma,
cataracts, macular degeneration,
high blood pressure and diabetes-
related eye conditions. Emergency
and walk-in appointments are both
available. n
Eyedentity Vision, at 2786 Diamond
St., is open Monday–Saturday.
For hours and other information,
check their website at http://
eyedentityvision.com.
Summer 2008
The Myths, Truths Behind
BART Lot Plan
The great attraction of Glen Park is its
cozy village atmosphere,
by along with excellent
Bonnee transit accessibility. That
Waldstein combination promises to
be an ongoing source of
tension as well.
Rumors have been flying recently
about what exactly will be the future
of the BART parking lot on Bosworth
Street opposite the Glen Park rail sta-
tion. Jeff Ordway, Manager of Property
Development for BART, said nothing
has been decided yet.
The property is contained within
the area covered by the Draft Glen Park
Community Plan, a document approved
by City officials in November 2003 that
serves as an outline for development in
the area.
The plan, developed with community
input, calls for mixed-use infill develop-
ment—essentially the redevelopment of
existing property—and the initiation of
an environmental impact analysis and
transportation feasibility study.
In April 2007 the BART Board
of Directors authorized a search for a
private development partner that would
participate in this process and, with addi-
tional public input, craft development
guidelines for Glen Park. A specific
development plan for the BART park-
ing lot property also was requested.
BART’s policy of transit-oriented
development, says Ordway, is to
promote the creation of moderate- to
higher-density residential, job-generat-
Dawn Murayama (pointing, third from left) leads a City Guides walking tour of Glen
Park Sunday morning, May 18.
Page 7 Glen Park News
ing and retail projects. They should be
located within an easy walk of a major
transit stop and designed for pedestrians
without excluding the auto.
A report by UC Berkeley gradu-
ate students in 2007 was published as
part of a competition sponsored by a
Bank of America Low-Income Hous-
ing Challenge. The students chose the
Glen Park BART property in their chal-
lenge to devise creative strategies for
development of affordable housing.
The students detailed a plan for a
four-story structure accommodating 58
residential units, plus a childcare facil-
ity, social work center, retail space and
parking for bikes and autos.
To lend credibility to the exercise,
support from BART was required.
But, Ordway said, the letter of support
from his agency “should in no way be
construed as an endorsement for any
project.” Only after the environmental
reviews of the Glen Park Community
Plan are completed and more com-
munity discussions are held “will a
development concept that works for
the community, BART and the City be
pursued,” he said. n
More information can be found at:
www.sftep.com – Transit Effectiveness
Project. Proposals for Municipal Rail-
way service improvements.
w w w. t i n y u r l . c o m / 3 w b 6 8 z t –
U.C.Berkeley graduate project for
development of BART parking lot.
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Glen Park News
Food Prices
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
paper bags and, of course, the generous
tastes the shop offers customers. So far,
he’s kept prices in line by cutting into
his margin.
One way Malouf has found to save
money is to drive to wholesalers him-
self, since fuel surcharges on deliveries
have become commonplace; one of his
suppliers has added a fee of $25 per
visit to the shop, no matter the size of
the order.
At Eggettes, the delivery surcharges
have gone as high as $50 for a $300
minimum order, so the three owners also
are picking up their own supplies. There
is a worldwide rice shortage, Fuentes
noted, so the price has soared to $40,
from $14, for a 50-pound bag. Tapioca
used for the shop’s popular drinks is also
imported, as are specialty fruits—a can
of imported lychees now costs $1.50
instead of $1.
“As long as we’re dependent on oil
prices, it’s going to be tough,” Fuentes
said.
Picking up his own supplies is not
an option for Richard Tarlov, who with
his wife Janet owns Canyon Market.
The store uses 175 vendors, ranging
from large-scale distributors down to
“teeny weeny local people,” he said.
So far, the Tarlovs haven’t seen much
change in people’s shopping habits,
except perhaps for costlier wines.
Sales of some basics, especially
milk and dairy products, are immune
to sticker shock. Pasture eggs are so
popular that “people are going to buy
them, no matter what.” Customers
committed to buying pure products,
such as organic produce, will adjust
Higher Grounds’ Malouf has been hit by new $25 delivery fees.
Page 8
their personal budgets to accommodate
price increases, he said.
Figuring out how to raise prices
with the minimum amount of pain for
customers is a never-ending challenge,
Tarlov said. One way is to monitor
waste carefully, and adjust accordingly.
Since the market makes its own bread,
he pays close attention to what types of
breads sell, day by day, and adjusts pro-
duction accordingly. Deli customers
who want a half-sandwich sometimes
get offered one made with two bread
end slices, rather than a center slice
cut in half. The butchers came up with
their own meat marinade, rather than
plucking a $4 bottle of teriyaki sauce
off the shelf.
Canyon Market’s 35 prepared
dishes are part of the price puzzle.
A 10-cents-per-pound increase on a
high-volume seller like pesto pasta can
help neutralize wholesale hikes in the
ingredients for, say, crab cakes, which
are already relatively expensive.
Good environmental practices
count, too. The market’s 50 employees
are coached in composting and recy-
cling to cut down on garbage costs.
And when the Tarlovs designed the
store, they tried to include as many
green technologies, such as thermal
windows, as possible.
Down the block, Laurent Legen-
dre, owner of L’Petit Laurent, has taken
on his wine offerings as a challenge in
holding the price line. About 60 per-
cent of the wines on the bistro’s list are
French, and thus take a double hit from
high transportation costs and the weak
dollar. So he forgoes some of the more
famous labels of “big appellations,”
and instead seeks out lesser-known
Photo by Liz Mangelsdorf
wines that meet his taste standards
but cost less.
Legendre says he researches the
market every day, sometimes adjusting
his menus to eliminate ingredients that
seem out of his price range—for exam-
ple, when swordfish got too expensive,
he dropped it in favor of scallops. He
is proud of his early weekday evening
neighborhood menu—a great deal at
$19.95 for a three-course meal. But
the increased popularity of the bargain
meal hasn’t overshadowed the steady
business for the regular menu. “This
is a great neighborhood; we are happy
to be here,” Legendre said.
Substituting dishes and ingredients
isn’t an option at a place like Tyger’s,
which is trying to cope with a 20-
cent-a-pound increase in the price of
sausage, or at Higher Grounds, where
many customers have their favorite
crepes.
Manhal Jweinat, of Higher
Grounds, says vegetable oil that used
to sell for $16 per 5-gallon can now
costs $37. Flour, milk and the pastries
he buys ready-made are all up as well.
So far he’s squeezing his profit margin
instead of passing on costs to his cus-
tomers, he said.
Jweinat still plans to open his new
Diamond Street restaurant, where the
bookstore used to be, but noted that
construction costs are going up, too.
In his 28 years at Higher Grounds, he
said, he never saw food costs jump so
fast: “Prices doubled in a very short
period.”
So far, our neighborhood food
businesses are trying to keep their
customers happy and costs under
control, any way they can. Who
knows—maybe diners and home-
makers will spend their $600 tax
“rebates” in Glen Park. Mark Fuentes
of Eggettes laughed at that sugges-
tion. “I don’t think that’s going to fix
the economy,” he said, “but it would
help out our situation.” n from café, nursing a cup of coffee
Cheyenne
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
fast of oatmeal laden with vast amounts
of sugar, the staff is still in a state of
denial. For 27 years he sat at the round
table near the door, sipping a cup of
coffee for exactly half an hour.
One Tyger’s waitress shook her
head in disbelief. “You’d think he’d
make 100. We’d tell him, ‘Let’s go, let’s
go.’ He didn’t make it.”
Cheyenne didn’t make the century
mark, but he certainly made his mark
on both Tyger’s staff and customers.
“Each year on my birthday,” says
Summer 2008
waitress Sandy Kim, “Cheyenne would
reach into his pocket and give me $20
to celebrate.”
Resplendent in cowboy boots
and a Levi’s jacket, you couldn’t
miss Cheyenne. Neighborhood lore
has it that mythic Cheyenne drove
cattle for Gene Autry and wrangled
horses on fog-shrouded Skyline
Boulevard.
Cheyenne was a man of The West.
He was born in Buffalo, Wyoming on
Nov. 18, 1910.
Tyger’s regular Ernie Jensen,
65, also hails from the Cowboy State
and now lives only blocks from the
former Ray Burner factory. With
possible visions of laconic Gary
Cooper ambling through his mind,
Jensen says, “Cheyenne was sincere
and solid, a man of few words, a
real cowboy.” Jensen recalls Chey-
enne opining, “Ernie, you would be
surprised at how many men in San
Francisco couldn’t handle a team of
horses.”
Mitch Badran, 78, a retired
electronic technician who frequents
Higher Grounds, agrees with Jensen:
“Cheyenne was The West. He was
half Irish and half American Indian.
He told me once that he lived in a
teepee for the first 13 years of his
life and that he never got over being
mad at a tribal chief for tithing fish
he caught in Wyoming streams.”
If a neighborhood is the sum
of its parts, then a big part of Glen
Park was subtracted from the whole
in May. Or so thinks Susan Tauber,
co-owner of Glen Park Hardware:
“Cheyenne was a neighborhood fix-
ture. He was 97—that’s a bunch of
history!”
Next door, Manhal Jweinat,
Higher Grounds owner, nods in affir-
mation, remembering the man who
would sit each afternoon next to a
plant that demarcates hardware store
for hours, and wait for neighbors to
wander over and pay their respects:
“People would cross the street and
go out of their way to shake his hand.
Customers are still asking about
him.”
In his Chenery Street backyard,
a Southwestern cactus plant soaks
up ground water, a succulent tomb-
stone to its taciturn owner. Recalling
him, Jweinat says, “Cheyenne would
always ask me to leave my griddle and
take a break.”
Looking at Cheyenne’s cactus,
smack in the middle of Glen Park, it
is of some comfort to know that Henry
Loftin is resting now, taking a break of
his own. n
Summer 2008
The ABCs of Recycling in
Green, Blue and Black
Maybe it was because the 6,000
announcements had the appearance of
junk mail and went directly into the blue
bin. Or maybe Glen Parkers thought
they knew all there was
to know about recycling.
by Whatever the reason,
Bonnee
there were only three
Waldstein
residents, including this
reporter, in attendance at a
recycling presentation put on by Sunset
Scavenger and SFEnvironment (a City
agency) at the Rec Center on March
11. Ron Walton of Sunset Scavenger
gamely hid his dismay, yet let us know
that Bernal and other neighborhoods
turned out upwards of 45 attendees.
Walton began with an overview of
the City’s mission of zero waste. Today
69 percent of San Francisco waste is
diverted from landfill. By 2010 the
goal is 75 percent, and by 2020, zero.
Today there are 60 garbage trucks and
40 recycling trucks in our city’s fleet.
The City wants to make that 50-50
instead, and eventually reach the point
where garbage need only be picked up
every other week.
The 3-Cart Recycling Program
has been largely successful. However,
more than 30 percent of compostables
and 25 percent of recyclables end up
in the black bin. Confusion over what
goes in the blue bin should be reduced
since Styrofoam and all plastic tubs (but
not bags and other flimsy plastic), not
just those numbered 2, 4, or 5, have
been recyclable as of April.
Every day 700 tons of recyclables
from the blue bins go through an elabo-
rate process of automated and hand con-
veying and sorting at Pier 96. Materials
such as resins and metals are baled into
12 different commodities and sold in
domestic and overseas markets.
The green bins also yield riches.
Yard trimmings and food scraps are
turned into compost at a 10-acre facil-
ity in Vacaville (more land is being
purchased for expansion).
One mistake costly to the environ-
ment is putting food waste through the
garbage disposal. It then goes to sludge,
is processed, and ends up in the landfill.
Batteries can be recycled from
home by placing them in a sealed bag-
gie on top of the black bin.
Some of the economic aspects of
the City’s recycling program are fasci-
nating. In San Francisco, we are paying
less than the greater Bay Area for our
black bins. The weight of what goes
into the landfill is offset in measure by
Page 9 Glen Park News
Proposed Change Roils Local Riders
The ambitious plan that San Francisco cia. For starters, she said, the J-Church
transportation officials unveiled to stop is both hard to get to and unpleasant.
the success of our recycling program, overhaul Municipal Rail- One 71-year-old Muni rider noted that
thus lowering our garbage rates. This by way routes has run into the stop is isolated on an often-windy
is true as well for the City’s own gar- Rachel resistance from some Glen island in the middle of speeding San
bage bill, which is also lower because Gordon Park residents who fear Jose Avenue traffic, accessible only by
of offsets of the recycling program. that the changes promised long stairways and a pedestrian bridge
Theft from the blue recycling bins to improve service would instead make to Monterey Boulevard.
has been a longstanding problem. It’s transit travel less convenient for them. The 14-Mission, which runs one
a highly organized operation, in which The proposal that has stirred the block parallel to the 26-Valencia
pickup trucks scour the neighborhoods, most controversy in Glen Park calls for through the Mission District and then
transfer their cache onto semis, and discontinuing the 26-Valencia bus line, shares the same roadway in the down-
truck it over to Oakland. which runs between the Balboa BART town stretch, has its own issues. “I don’t
Why Oakland? Since San Fran- station and Fifth and Mission streets down- want to ride with the freaks who are
cisco has a higher recycling rate, the town—serving Glen Park in between. The shooting up heroin on the back of the
redemption per item is lower. Oakland 26-Valencia is among the Muni lines with 14,” Dhillon said bluntly.
has less residential recycling and there- the lowest riderships. The 14-Mission, Kirschbaum said she is aware of
fore pays more for the goods. That in among the busiest, has more than 33,000 the 14-Mission’s rough reputation, but
turn helps inflate Oakland’s recycling boardings a day; the 44-O'Shaughnessy, wanted people to know that it’s a status
rate. in the middle of the pack, averages nearly that can be turned around. The Transit
Here in Glen Park, our merchants are 13,000 boardings a day. Effectiveness Project calls for Muni
doing their bit to encourage recycling. “Muni wants to kick us to the to pump a lot more resources into the
At the hardware store, Hal and Susie curb,’’ said Maya Dhillon, a 65-year-old 14-Mission, one of the workhorse lines
Tauber carry composting bags and hard- Chenery Street resident who is leading of the entire system. There would be
to-find compostable yard bags. Canyon a petition drive to fight the proposed more frequent service, improved bus
Market has a corner where residents can elimination of the No. 26, a bus she stops and more security. “The way it is
load up buckets with fluorescent light rides just about every day. now won’t have to be the way it is in
bulbs and batteries, and there is a kiosk Not so, says Julie Kirschbaum, the the future,’’ she said.
where printer cartridges can be dropped Muni planner in charge of the proposed Another proposed change that has
off for refilling. makeover, which is called the Transit caused a hullabaloo in Glen Park would
Richard Tarlov, proprietor, eagerly Effectiveness Project. The vision of the reroute the 36-Terisita onto Roanoke
described activities behind the scenes initiative is to make Muni more efficient Street, which neighbors said is too nar-
in the market: “We are fanatical about by eliminating duplicative service and row to accommodate buses. Kirschbaum
composting and recycling! We are by steering the most resources into the said the argument has merit, and Muni has
constantly, every day, working hard routes that are used most. A goal is since dropped its plan to run the No. 36
and doing staff education. Every piece to speed travel on Muni, which now on Roanoke. Resolution of the Roanoke
we keep out of our dumpster is credited is among the slowest-moving transit controversy is one of the few Muni offi-
against our garbage bill with Sunset systems in urban America. cials are willing to reveal at this time.
Scavenger. It’s amazing that a store Implementing the changes won’t be The agency spent more than a year
of our size, with our level of business, easy. While the public has demanded devising the plan and then opened it up
needs a garbage pickup only twice a that Muni service get better, particularly to public review. Starting in April, Muni
week. Other places often need daily when it comes to on-time performance held 11 community meetings attended
pickups.” and reliability, riders are less enthusi- by more than 1,000 people citywide and
Whether or not Glen Park residents astic if it means they would have to held dozens of other smaller briefings
attend meetings, it is clear that we are transfer or walk another block or two for various organizations. In recent
doing our part in the march toward zero during their commutes. months, the agency has received more
waste in San Francisco—those 6,000 The big challenge for Muni officials as than 1,100 written and phone-in com-
announcements have no doubt already they move from the planning stage to imple- ments. This stage of the public com-
reached the recycling pipeline. n mentation of the Transit Effectiveness Project ment closed June 15.
will be to market the plan to a wary public. Now, Kirschbaum and her team
The 26-Valencia is a good example. will revise the proposed plan based on
While riders would lose the 26- the public comments and more in-depth
Helpful websites: Valencia under the proposal, the Glen analysis by Muni staff and outside consul-
Park segment would be picked up by a tants. A new draft plan will be presented
www.sfenvironment.org – official revamped 36-Teresita route. That line to the Municipal Transportation Agency
website of S.F. Department of the would then connect to the 14-Mission governing board for consideration in late
Environment. line, near 30th Street. Getting from summer. The public, however, will have
www.sfenvironment.org/ecofinderrr Glen Park to downtown would require a a chance to weigh in again before any
– enter zip code and find the nearest transfer, under the plan. Another option official action is taken.
drop-off center for everything from would be to catch the J-Church street- Muni hopes to begin implementing
appliances to construction debris to car on San Jose Avenue for a direct run changes in July 2009, pending completion
lighting to yard trimmings. between Glen Park and downtown. of the required environmental reviews.
www.sfrecycling.com – overview That’s not good enough for Dhillon, More detailed information on the
of the 3-cart program; what goes in who commutes between her home and Transit Effectiveness Project can be
what. job at Moscone Center on the 26-Valen- found at www.sftep.com. n
Glen Park News Page 10 Summer 2008

Solar: It’s Hot But Raises Lots of Questions

Last issue’s solar column brought lots
of reader comment.
One respondent, who had a five-
year-old installation, complained bitterly
to me that she had been hit with several
problems. First, the
by City made her remove
Dolan two panels to comply
Eargle with the building code,
and second, she was not
allowed to install a battery storage unit
to store power for the evenings, as she
had done in a Sonoma County home.
I checked with the Department of
Building Inspections, whose Electrical
Permit regulations include a require-
ment for roof access space for firefight-
ers, which was why she had to remove
two of her solar panels. And the City
specifically prohibits the use of batter-
ies, which were considered a fire hazard
when the specifications were written.
In both cases, these were problems
her installer should have been aware of.
It’s one reason to make sure you use an
installer who has experience working in
San Francisco. Call as many references
as you can get—no one wants to be told
after the fact that they’re not in compli-
ance with City regulations.
Her third problem is that she says
her PG&E bills rose by many hundreds
of dollars a month. Another person
told me that the family bills had risen
in similar fashion, but with no known
installation problems.
A PG&E representative told me that
they had called the first person and had
left two messages for her to call back.
She had not, after two weeks. In the sec-
ond case, I suggested she call both her
installer and PG&E, but as yet I haven't
heard whether she got any answers.
As for the “does it make economic
sense” questions, opinions vary.
In a San Francisco Chronicle give
and take, Severin Borenstein at UC Berke-
ley bases his calculations on something
that many would-be solar users forget—it
costs money to borrow the up-front costs
to build a solar system. If the interest
on that loan is factored in, Borenstein
estimates that a typical $12,000 solar
system might have a mortgage payment
of $1,000 a year. Factoring that in, the
estimated 3,400 kilowatt-hours (kwh)
of electricity it would produce per year
would cost between 27 and 32 cents per
kwh for power obtainable at 12 and 13
cents at today’s rates.
So when such a system would start
paying for itself depends largely on how
much the consumer wants to bet the cost
of electricity will go up in the next 20
or 30 years. Another thing to take into
consideration is whether you don’t use
much electricity, and therefore pay
PG&E’s baseline rate of 12 cents per
kwh, or if you use lots of electricity and
end up in PG&E’s top tier of 36 cents.
But Tom Beach of Crossborder
Energy makes the point that costs of
electricity are likely to continue to
increase, probably sharply, at the same
time that the cost of putting in a solar
array continues to drop. In addition, he
notes that it’s impossible to put a price
on the knowledge that one is producing
one's own electricity and isn’t contribut-
ing to pollution.
Another troubling issue has just
arisen. As of June 18, Congress is
debating whether or not to continue
the solar rebate system. I don't know
if the rebates are built-in for a given
time on already-installed services, or are
adjusted yearly, or what. The power
companies are also in on the rebates, so
have a lot to lose if this goes through.
Would I use solar myself? Sadly, I
can't, because my roof is metal, and not
easily fitted for paneling. n

Glen Park Village on a Saturday in May. Drawing by Audrey Hulburd

Summer 2008
Glen Canyon: Dog Heaven
On any morning, a convoy of canines
converges upon the Elk Street entrance
to Glen Canyon, each pet straining to go
AWOL—absent without leash.
In the canyon, they are greeted by
white-crowned sparrows, cushioned in
cypress canopies, that
sweeten the early still-
by
ness with bird songs.
Murray
The native Ohlone
Schneider
once harvested bulbs
for soap along canyon
slopes beneath similar melodies. Cen-
turies later, Spaniards grazed cattle for
hides on canyon inclines; Americans
then pastured cows in the canyon’s
valley for milk.
Now neighborhood dogs frolic
here.
Dressed in fleece, flannel and
denim, dog owners—er, make that
“guardians” in San Francisco’s official
parlance—bring up the rear.
A favorite stop: the North Fork of
Islais Creek, a one-mile stream that
meanders beneath canyon cypress
and arroyo willows while curving past
inclines carpeted with coyote brush and
coastal sage.
The urban oasis of Glen Canyon
Page 11
Park has been the center of plenty of
battles, at times with dogs at the cen-
ter.
There are those opposed to dogs,
particularly those that romp freely,
concerned that the curious canines
disturb the birds and other wildlife and
dig up the native plants. Still, every
day, the park draws scores of dogs and
their human companions, who come to
enjoy camaraderie amid the natural ter-
rain, away from the perils of traffic.
Maria Hilario-Fondert arrives
at the canyon each morning around
8:15 from her home on Monterey Bou-
levard, accompanied by her 2-year-old
chocolate Lab, Bjorn, who she lets run
free, chucking a tennis ball for him to
chase.
Maria has owned Bjorn since he
was 10 weeks old. “I read that a puppy
must be socialized by 100 people and
dogs before it’s three months old,” she
says.
No fear. Glen Canyon is dog para-
dise.
“San Francisco is one of the most
tolerant and tolerable dog-friendly cit-
ies,” says Stephen Labovsky, an East
Coast transplant and the 66-year-old
human escort of Australian shepherd
Chili. Making doggy friends isn’t
without its hazards, Labovsky confides.
Chili once scampered up a canyon hill,
believing he had spied a pack of raga-
muffin dog mates. Instead, a herd of
goats munched perennial grasses, serv-
ing as a ruminant fire-control brigade.
As he attempted to breach the fence
used to keep goats in and dogs out,
Chili got a jolt.
Canyon canine mischief takes other
familiar turns. Tibby Storey, a 67-year-
old retired City librarian, adores her 6-
year-old Chihuahua-mix Jaz. In the
canyon, Jaz can’t chase skateboarders
or delivery trucks.
When Jaz needs a time out, Storey
sentences her to dog detention. “I send
Jaz to doggy day care at the Hound
Lounge on Mariposa Street,” she winks.
“Jaz has them wrapped around her tail.”
An easy mark, Storey has treats ready
for Jaz when she is paroled from the
pooch pen, favoring biscuits from the
ovens of Canyon Market’s pet pastry
chef, Brooke Bates.
In addition to coyotes, the dogs have
buzzing insects with which to contend.
Treading air above a canyon eucalyp-
tus hollow, honeybees hover, humming
like choruses of airborne Tinker Bells.
According to Jake Sigg, a naturalist
with the California Native Plant Society,
they are protective of their hives, not
as quick to anger as their yellow jacket
cousins.
They take exception, however, to
galumphing neighborhood dogs with
furry manes. Temporarily sharing the
same habitat, dogs, in their turn, are
leery of being stung, so a wary detente
exists between the two.
Karen Peteros, Glen Park beekeeper
extraordinaire and owner of Harry, a
cavorting canyon terrier, believes he
learns by association, and Harry quickly
linked familiarity with honeybees to
unwelcome stings. No one will ever
get rich underestimating Harry’s intel-
ligence or his sweet tooth.
While he doesn’t associate bees
with honey, Karen muses, Harry
enjoys her backyard beekeeping bounty:
“Harry loves honey and never misses
the chance to lick-up the inevitable
drips.”
If 6-year-old Beckett wasn’t real,
Harry Potter creator J.K. Rowling would
have imagined him. A tow-headed boy,
he is three years past his last nap and a
dozen years too early to break hearts.
Right now he is in kindergarten. Early
morning mist tickles his face as he waits
to begin a nature walk the Friends of
Glen Canyon Park bills as “Spiders in
Glen Canyon.”
There are 50 other arachnid aficio-
Glen Park News
nados waiting with him. Meanwhile,
he looks for a dog to play with. He
selects Bjorn, the chocolate Lab. Taking
Bjorn’s chucker from Hilario-Fondert,
Beckett wings a tennis ball that would
make a professional jai alai player envi-
ous. Bjorn gallops after it. He returns
the sodden ball and lays it at the boy’s
feet. With plaintive eyes, Bjorn looks at
Beckett, his tail swinging like a grand-
father clock’s pendulum.
Beckett winds up and arcs a rain-
bow. Bjorn hurtles after the soaking
ball, his paws digging into the soft
turf. The nature walk begins. Califor-
nia Academy of Sciences entomologist
Darrell Ubrick and his wife, Suzanne,
lead the tour. Beckett and Bjorn take a
break from fetch.
Holding up a spider web remnant
attached to paint chipping from the
nearby gymnasium, the entomologist
tells the Beckett and the other kids on
the tour about the curative, antibiotic
and antifungal effects spider webs can
have on injured dogs.
Suzanne Ubrick chimes in, offering
a medicinal antidote of her own: “When
I cut myself once, I bandaged the cut
with a spider’s web. The silk stopped
the bleeding.”
It doesn’t take long before Beckett
is holding a wolf spider that sequesters
itself in the mouse barley that lines
Alms Road. The hunting spider, the
size of a quarter-dollar and the color of
obsidian, is aptly named because, like
wolves, it is hairy and is an efficient
hunting machine. Although it would
take legions of dogs to threaten these
spiders in their habitat, canyon dogs
consider these eight-legged predators
a culinary delicacy.
“Dogs eat them, thinking they are
particularly tasty,” Suzanne Ubrick
says. n
Owlets in the park.
Photo by Eric Hanson
Glen Park News Page 12 Summer 2008

Memo from City Hall

Recently, Public Safety Strategies
Group, an independent consulting
firm that specializes in
by law enforcement issues,
Supervisor completed an analysis
Bevan of the San Francisco
Dufty Police Department’s
district boundaries. I
commend my colleague, Supervisor
Ross Mirkarimi, for mandating that
the City analyze existing boundaries of
our 10 police districts.
Before the study was initiated, I
expected that we might clean up some
lines—for example, using Divisadero
rather than Steiner Street as the bound-
ary between Park and Northern Dis-
tricts, or recognizing that the Ingleside
District, which stretches from Upper
Noe to Sunnydale, might be easier to
patrol if it were more compact.
But the consultants responded with
a much bolder vision to realign SFPD’s
Field Operations Bureau and reinvigo-
rate police patrol functions—and they
may be right.
According to the report’s surveys,
76 percent of the public want additional
police on patrol. As for police officers,
86 percent who responded to the survey
believe more officers in the districts are
warranted.
When I first heard the suggestion to
consolidate stations, I almost rejected
the report out of hand. But the analysis
found that fully one-third of our district
station personnel are assigned to admin-
istrative duties.
At any given time, our City has
approximately 100 officers on patrol.
This is inadequate.
Each district station captain cur-
rently must use up to 30 percent of his
or her personnel for functions other
than wearing a blue uniform on foot,
bicycle or sector-car patrol working
with the community. Many assign-
ments are redundant—managing sta-
tions, considering permit requests and
spending time on other responsibili-
ties that could be managed easily if the
districts were consolidated. We would
return a minimum of 100 officers to
patrol.
I opposed an earlier cost-saving
proposal to close neighborhood fire-
houses, concerned that emergency
response time would increase. I’m
not sure that same concern would
apply to district police stations, if the
result puts significantly more officers
on patrol ready to respond to emergen-
cies or, better yet, prevents crime from
occurring.
I am committed to community
policing and have worked with several
outstanding captains. But every officer,
sergeant, lieutenant and captain has a
role in a meaningful community polic-
ing. Community policing suffers from
the lack of beat officers and the inability
of captains to consistently staff those
beat patrols.
More than 2,100 San Franciscans
responded to phone and written surveys
as part of the study. Just 12 percent of
those polled by phone had ever visited
their district police station. Written
respondents, a group more composed
of neighborhood activists, found that 25
percent had been to their station, but 60
percent of those had gone to attend a
community meeting.
The men and women in SFPD are
the best compared to any department
in the nation. But I am willing to ques-
tion whether the business-as-usual
setup best meets our City’s public
safety needs for 2008 and beyond.
We can do better. This report
challenges us to look beyond head-
lines and the status quo to envision
a police department that truly priori-
tizes its patrol functions and rewards
officers for excellence in community
policing.
Please visit www.sfpolicereview.org to
learn more.
Dr. Carrie Lee, O.D.
Bevan Dufty serves on the San Fran- Optometrist
cisco Board of Supervisors, represent-
ing Glen Park and surrounding neigh- 2786 Diamond Street
borhoods in District 8. San Francisco, CA 94131

Songbird’s Encore Performance (415) 334-2020

The Diamond Valley Mockingbird is
back, after a year's hiatus.
Our morning-night-
by ingale starts up before
Dolan 5 a.m., but does at least
Eargle taper off by 9. He spots
himself on the tops of the
tallest homes between Van Buren and
Surrey/Diamond. He's still singing the
same songs I taught him—the call of the
eastern cardinal (birdie, birdie birdie,
whew, whew, whew) and the two-note
“bridge” from “Somewhere Over The
Rainbow,” but he learned some more in
his absence. His repertoire is increasing
as is his range of territory; we hope his
luck will increase, too. He broadcasts
his song—first, to find a mate, then,
once procured, to “mark” the territory
surrounding his nest. n
www.eyedentityvision.com
● Comprehensive adult and pediatric eye exams
● Contact lens fittings ● Screenings for glaucoma,
cataracts, and macular degeneration ● Emergency
appointments ● LASIK surgery evaluation and co-
management ● Customized eyeglasses and sunglasses
● Eyeglass repairs and adjustments
Vision Service Plan accepted
Summer 2008 Page 13 Glen Park News

On Patrol in Glen Park

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On May 6, 2008, members of the Ingle-
side Station paid tribute
by to the memory of one of
Officer the finest police officers
Michael ever to wear the uniform
Walsh of the San Francisco
Police Department.
Sgt. Phil Lee was a gritty, no-
holds-barred, tough practitioner of
the “hook ’em and book ’em” school
of police work.
“Butts on the bench, boys and girls.
That’s what I want to see,” he would
growl, as he motioned to the metal
bench in the holding cell at the station.
“The vacancy light is always on here at
the Ingleside Motel.”
Phil would lead the way, arresting
parolees at large whom he’d find near
our schools; drug dealers who plagued
public housing; and cowardly thugs who
would prey on those seemingly weaker
than themselves.
HolyInnocents
measurable increase in street rob-
beries over the last several months.
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Those who work are falling victim
to those who don’t, and the pressure
on the Police Department to solve
these crimes increases with each
report.
As you might expect, certain
members of the Board of Supervisors
have continued their amateur attempt
to wrest control of the Police Depart-
ment from those for whom this is a
profession.
These elected officials publicly
call for more cops on the street, yet
sabotage their effective use by exert-
ing political pressure to monopolize
vast numbers of officers to baby-sit
their pet constituencies by mandating
fixed posts and disingenuously call-
ing them “foot beats.”
They hold the police responsible
when some fine citizen’s teenager
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“Kids, Old People and Dogs” was
his motto, engraved on the marble
plaque that the officers at the station
unveiled at the tribute.
“Everybody else can take care
of themselves,” Phil would say as
he invoked his philosophy of police
work. Raised in the tough Visitacion
Valley neighborhood, Phil held himself
and the officers who worked for him
to a high standard, and spent a career
grinding his way through the streets
of the Mission, Northern and Ingleside
stations.
Last November Phil succumbed to
the cancer that attacked his body but not
his spirit. At his memorial, Ingleside
Capt. Denis O’Leary, Phil’s last com-
manding officer, played the bagpipes
as the Stars and Stripes, along with
the “Jolly Roger,” was raised as his
friends and family remembered the
“Pirate” (a.k.a. Caveman)—a true San
Francisco original.
Phil was irascible, impatient,
cranky, compassionate, kindhearted,
corny and considerate. He was com-
mitted to his city and lived in the Sun-
nyside. He epitomized the very model
of a community police officer. What
Phil was not was a scarecrow, cigar
store statue or one of those plastic
owls placed on roofs to scare away
pigeons. He didn’t deter crime with
his presence. He searched it out in
dark, scary places that others fear to
enter and stopped it in its tracks.
Close to home
Glen Park, like most neighbor-
hoods in San Francisco, has seen a
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thinks it’s just swell to rob and maybe ����������������������������������������
shoot someone. In reality, they under- ����
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by blocking innovative community �����������������������������������������������������������������������
courts and fighting against gang
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injunctions that target those engaged
in street crime against their own ter-
rified neighbors.
Congratulations and thanks to
Supervisor Bevan Dufty, the district
representative for Glen Park, for
standing up to these political bullies
and reintroducing the move to fund
the community courts.
Concerned residents attend com-
munity meetings and hear their law
enforcement leaders attempt to quell
their fears by assuring them that
every effort will be made to increase
staffing and police presence on their
streets.
Countless people tell me that
seeing a cop on patrol is a reassur-
ing sight, and I agree. They repeat
in good faith the political mantra of
“community policing,” not really
sure what it means but comforted by
its cozy tone. done with stealth and swiftness. The description so you can identify the crook
The truth is that effective police final results are seldom rewarding as later if you get the chance. Keep cool
work to curtail street robberies and a cautious district attorney deals with if confronted; everything you own is
homicides is like sausage-making. careful-to-a-fault judges who wish not replaceable. And take heart in the fact
It’s hard, tough, often dangerous and to be associated with the revolving that these creeps get caught eventu-
sometimes bloody, with equal parts door of the California Department ally—maybe not as fast as any of us
tedium and terror. It’s best done in of Corrections. The merry-go-round would like and, perhaps, in a crime
ways you can’t see, with plainclothes keeps spinning as new generations of unrelated to yours. But I know they
officers putting themselves in harm’s street thugs, only teen years removed get arrested because I work with cops
way while uniformed officers come from their forebears, take up the like Phil Lee. n
to the rescue when it all goes side- trade.
ways. My message to you: Continue to
It’s not “transparent,” as the Police be on alert when on the street. Try to SFPD Officer Michael Walsh lives and
Commission likes to say, but, rather, walk with others. Attempt to get a good works in Glen Park.
Glen Park News
Sunnyside Vigilance Offers
Lessons for Forthcoming
Glen Park Improvements
Some of the best outcomes for public
property renovations, such as parks,
result from citizen
Opinion stewardship: outreach
by to determine what “the
Andrea client” public wants,
O’Leary following the dollars,
and watching design
development. Although City agencies
don’t often welcome such public scrutiny
or collaboration, some of the best ideas
and expertise derive from neighborhood
willingness to contribute time and exper-
tise. Taxpayers must be vigilant or find
that, at ribbon-cutting ceremonies, doors
are opened to unfamiliar results.
The Glen Park Recreation Center and
sports facilities will eventually undergo
such a process, and the community might
consider seeking out talents from within
to offer effective public oversight.
As illustrated by Sunnyside Park’s
Phase 2 recreation center project, even
the best scrutiny of a renovation can
result in communities insisting that
the process be stopped and brought
back into alignment. The Recreation
and Park Department was compelled
Page 14
to return to the neighborhood, where
residents reaffirmed their desire for an
open-space floor plan for the center,
against the Operations Division's clan-
destine attempts to revise the already-
approved design to one with walled-in
“secured” rooms, reducing the center
into staff offices or spaces that would
accommodate only a few people at
a time. Now only one enclosed and
lockable room for the director will be
allowed, utilizing the fewest number of
doors and walls possible.
Rec and Park claimed this configura-
tion would exceed the budget. The mat-
ter was taken to the Recreation and Park
Commission, where the Capital Division
project manager's claim that the budget
would be exceeded by $127,000 was
not convincing: The design budget had
already been spent developing a not-
approved plan, and reaching into the
construction budget for further design
work was not allowable. Rec and
Park Operations would not inspect the
building with neighborhood advocates,
but ultimately a tour made it clear that
improvements are achievable within
Check It Out at the Library!
Ah, summer at the library. It can mean
picking up a book for traveling, either the
latest best seller or a classic for a long
plane flight or a day at the
by beach. But in the library
Denise world, summer means
Sanderson one thing: the Summer
Reading Club. Every year, at all of our
locations (including the bookmobiles),
the library hosts its annual reading club
for children.
The program began on June 14 and
will run for nine weeks until August 9.
Kids up through age 13 can visit the
library anytime during the period to sign
up. Children can read independently or
have books read to them.
With every two hours of reading,
kids can earn a prize. Eight hours of
reading is the grand prize level, and kids
get to choose from a selection of such
prizes as a book, entertainment passes
or a stuffed toy animal.
Our program this year is called
Read in the Wildest Places. The wild
animal theme means you will start see-
ing fierce and cuddly animals on posters
at the library.
This year we also have a summer
reading program for teens, ages 13–18.
It began June 13 and will end July 25.
For each 10 hours of reading, partici-
pants win a prize. The grand prize, at 30
hours, is a flash drive (a memory stick).
Teens who complete 30 hours or more
of reading in the program are invited
to the teen summer-read party. More
like a carnival, with games and tasty
treats, teens can win more prizes in a
budget if costs are realistic.
Rec and Park staff were asked what,
if any, citywide renovations have come
in on budget; the answer was perhaps
one, but staff could not recall which.
The only project under budget was Sun-
nyside.
This repeated occurrence ultimately
deprives other neighborhoods of their
rightful share, as was the case with Sun-
nyside. It is the reason why the first $80
million from the recently passed $135
million city park improvement bond
(plus another $50 million for port prop-
erties) will be spent on projects whose
funding was exceeded or eliminated
Summer 2008
raffle. This year, we’re raffling off two
Zunes (mp3 players), an iPod Shuffle
and fabulous gift certificates.
We are also hosting many free
programs for adults, teens and children
throughout the summer. Here are just
a few programs I want to highlight:
July 16, 7 p.m.: The Magic Makers,
featuring animal stories and magic from
around the world. For all ages.
July 9, 6:30 p.m.: Eccentrics,
Heroes, and Cutthroats of Old Berke-
ley. The author of this book will have
a slideshow and lecture. For adults.
Aug. 9, 2:30 p.m.: End-of-summer
reading club party with Mark Bunnell and
his Carnival of Chaos. For all ages.
Aug. 27, 6:30 p.m.: Home Prepared-
ness in Earthquake Country. For adults.
See the Community Calendar on
Page 20 for more library events. Or, to
find out more about our programs and
other library news, please visit our Glen
Park Library blog at http://glenparklibr
arysfpl.blogspot.com/
We hope to see you at the library
this summer!
Glen Park Branch
2825 Diamond Street
San Francisco, CA 94131
415-355-2858
Hours
Tuesday 10–6
Wednesday 12–8
Thursday 1–7
Friday 1–6
Saturday 1-6
from the similar year 2000 bond.
From Sunnyside’s experience, Rec
and Park commissioners are pondering
whether they should adopt a new policy
requiring the department to bring back
projects being considered for changes
beyond the commission-approved
conceptual design. This would assure
citizens that decisions made during the
public process will be honored over
the desires of department staff and that
budgets are being met.
Andrea O'Leary of Sunnyside Park
Families & Neighbors can be reached
at SPFamilies@aol.com.
Summer 2008 Page 15 Glen Park News

In Glen Canyon Park Digging the Dirt:

Inside the rail fence at the end of Elk Street/Berkeley Way, your contact News from the Garden Club
the boardwalk in Glen Canyon Park, information has gone missing; please
spring’s bounty is slowing down. The contact Jake at jakesigg@earthlink.net. It s hard at this time of year not get a motivational talk every day along
water under the adjacent bridge has Of course all volunteers are welcome. to think of luscious home-grown the lines of: Grow, damn it!
also slowed. In fact it Work parties continue every Wednes- tomatoes. The next few We have tried just about every com-
by came to a standstill. day morning and third Saturday from by months cannot properly bination of factors. We are desperate for
Alma You may have noticed 9 a.m. to noon. Just show up with a Susan be called summer if the homegrown tomatoes. In other neigh-
Hecht the tall green thicket pair of work gloves. Evans season does not include borhoods, right near here, it s hard NOT
growing up from the Thank goodness for the crowd- the consumption of toma- to grow tomatoes.
creek. That was watercress—Ror- pleasing variety of birds on the walk toes picked five minutes ago from We cannot plan a summer vaca-
ippa nasturtium-aquaticum, the same lead by David Armstrong, because the vines growing in your own dirt. tion while there might be fresh toma-
green found at Canyon Market, but “Pancakes in the Park” event was can- We have green ones now in our toes. At least nobody s stealing our
unfortunately inedible because of the celled due to the cold. Spied through- Glen Park garden and each one has small crop. It s guarded well. We
polluted water. It will make compost out the morning by around 20 warmly a name. I almost hate to write about are not above putting out a security
instead of a salad ingredient or a dressed walkers were mourning doves, them since any little thing can jinx camera.
tangy, peppery touch to potato and Anna’s hummingbirds, downy wood- them. Pam Pierce told us to get a plot in
leek soup. peckers, a black phoebe, stellar and Over the years, we have bought a community garden on the east side
Of Asian and European origin, scrub jays and red-tailed hawks. several greenhouses for our tomato of town. But we ve only been trying
watercress has naturalized to the Also house, song and white- experiments in the challenging Glen here for 21 years.
point of being considered a native, crowned sparrows, common and red Park climate. We have a special pot, Not sure it s worth the trouble? How
but grows too finches, a robin, cedar with special soil, special mulch and can a sensate person not be intrigued by
densely to coexist waxwings galore, special fertilizer. They are the only a plant with nicknames such as wolf
in our small creek. Four days before the Townsend warblers, plants that get hand watered, off the peach and love apple, and heirloom
That is why in May towhees, Bullocks irrigation system. This year we got a varieties, such as the ugly ripe and the
several volunteers goats were ready and hooded orioles special heating pad, in case they get mortgage lifter ?
donned waterproof delighted with songs cold at night. And we are giving them But it's likely that nobody's ever
boots and gloves to leave, a beautiful and/or shows. hormones to make them friskier. said it better than Texas songwriter/
and stepped into Off in the We ve had fruit end rot, no blos- sage Guy Clark in his ode to the joys
the chilly water to white female kid was scrub, heard but not soms, blossoms that fall off, blossoms of backyard gardening:
remove it. Next seen, was a lazuli that don t set, plants that got too hot, Homegrown tomatoes homegrown
time you are in born. Unfortunately, bunting. Now it’s plants that dried up, plants that tomatoes
the canyon, take a certain the owls have molded and plants that rotted. Plants What'd life be without homegrown
moment to stop on boys climbed the flown their nest. Was that got too little sun, too much wind, tomatoes
the bridge and enjoy it the constant flow of not enough circulation. Our varieties Only two things that money can't
the restored sound of fenced area and tried paparazzi or just that of wildlife also like the ripest and best buy
free-flowing water. the babies were strong tomatoes. And the bugs! Don t get me That's true love and homegrown
The creek’s over- to steal her. enough to strike out started. Some years, frustrated with tomatoes n
growth was accessi- on their own? Either poor plants, we rip them out and start
ble for volunteers to way, what fun while with new plants.
remove. However the overgrowth on it lasted. Hopefully they will swoop Each year we try the newest, hardi- Susan Evans is a member of the
the steep hillsides along the park’s through from time to time and return est plants. This year we are trying sul- Glen Park Garden Club, which wel-
boundary was left to the goats. next year to build their nest. See their pice and black krim. We have a sacred comes new members. E-mail her at
Once again this year, 500 goats photo, Page 11. blessing ceremony at the start, and they ske1@pacbell.net.
munched down the radish, fennel and
grasses to reduce fire risk. Four days Eco-Notes
before they were ready to leave, a Here’s this season’s suggestion movie-land got the name Hollywood. bright red berries.
beautiful white female kid was born. for something you can do in your When Southern California was first Rather than inebriating, these ber-
Unfortunately, boys climbed into the own gardens to be a Friend of Glen settled, the newcomers noticed small ries provide important food to birds
fenced area and tried to steal her. Canyon without actually working in trees covered with shiny red berries and wildlife. Toyons are drought
Since they covered the kid in human the field or writing a check. Replace that reminded them of the hollies they tolerant, accept our clay soil, and
scent—eau de delinquent—the mother your cotoneasters. Cotoneasters are had left behind. Thus they named the can be pruned to expose their mul-
rejected her. exotic, invasive plants that take over area Hollywood Land, which was later tiple branching habit for attractive
Now the goat tenders will be land and crowd out native species. shortened to Hollywood. specimen trees. You can pick one up
bottle-feeding her until she is ready They come in many forms from You can see Toyons in the canyon or order from Flora Grubb Gardens,
to join the herd on the hills. Hope- small trees to ground covers. All have area on the east side of the Levi site, 415-648-2670. n
fully when the goats next return, red berries birds love, eat and share just before the creek goes under-
unattended dogs raising havoc and wherever they “go.” Sometimes the ground. Toyons are also growing
two-legged interlopers will be more birds consume the berries as they through the rock outcrop up the hill
respectful. begin to ferment and become intoxi- across from Silver Tree Day Camp. Alma Hecht is a neighbor and friend of
In March, around a dozen people cated. You can see them swaying on Toyons grow 12 to 15 feet high, Glen Canyon with an award-winning
came to the wildflower walk with Jake telephone lines and branches. Toy- have dark green leaves and clusters sustainable landscape design company,
Sigg to see the early spring blooms. ons—Heteromeles arbutifolia—make of small white flowers in mid-spring Second Nature Design. Contact Alma at
SOS: if you are the lady who volun- beautiful substitutes. and early summer. The flowers are 415-586-6578 or through her website,
teered to adopt the rock uphill near Interestingly, Toyons are how followed by a fall/winter show of www.secondnature.bz.
Glen Park News
Attractive new railing delineates picnic area at our park.
Page 16
News From the
Glen Park Advisory Board
It has been a long 11 months waiting
for the Recreation and Park Department
to install the decorative
by railings around our three
Miriam picnic tables, but finally in
Moss April the ironworkers got it
done. The three benches,
the picnic tables and the
railings were all acquired through the
grantwriting and fund-raising efforts of
Photo by Miriam Moss
the Glen Park Advisory Board.
This area is very popular for picnics
and as a gathering place for individu-
als and groups. The improvements have
made the former empty space very func-
tional for a variety of uses.
As of January the Glen Park Rec
Center has a new gardener. His name
is Tony, and along with his regular
duties he has already added some new
improvements such as the plantings
around the cargo box by the service
road, filling in some needed plants in
the wine barrels and adding edging
where needed. He is doing a great job.
Sometimes you won’t see him there; the
department can and does move him to
help at other parks whenever they deem
necessary, so the posted schedule on the
website is not always followed.
The wine barrels and the front
garden on Elk Street have always been
taken care of by the Advisory Board.
If anyone would like to help with this
task you can contact me by e-mail at the
address below. That goes for anyone
who wants to take a more active inter-
est in the Rec Center. Decisions are
being made for you because the City’s
staff hasn’t heard from the community.
Programming serves the city at large,
and does not necessarily reflect what the
Glen Park community would want.
Wanta Play? Prepare to Pay!
Big changes are coming in the
way City services are delivered. All of
these changes have been made without
any public input. The biggest change
is that the Rec and Park Department
is moving into an all-fee-based mode
for services. No longer will there be
“drop-in” classes. For all classes, the
public will be required to register via
the “CLASS” system and a fee will be
charged. This includes activities like
drop-in volleyball, badminton, Senior
Bridge Club, and the age 3 and under
playgroups. They haven’t yet decided
about charging for basketball.
No telling how long it will take
Rec and Park to fully implement this
Summer 2008
process, but the marching orders are in
to charge a fee for anyone who steps
into the Rec Center. At one time all
children’s programs were free but that is
now a thing of the past. The department
has established a scholarship program
but that applies to families who are very
low income. The very-stretched-to-the-
limit middle class will not qualify.
Activities Need Community Input
A community meeting was held
May 17 to get input into what programs
the Glen Park community wants begin-
ning with the Winter Session, which
starts in January 2009. The turnout
was a total of four people! If you have
things you want to let the department
know and couldn’t make the meeting or
hadn’t heard about it, you can always
e-mail your thoughts to me and I will
get them to the right staff person, or
you can contact Rec and Park directly
at Terry.Schwartz@sfgov.org.
The Glen Park Advisory Board
started the Family Fun Fest in the
year 2000, working together with
the Rec and Park Department. Our
purpose was to have a time when the
community could meet each other and
to raise money to upgrade materials
needed for Tiny Tots, the playgroups
and things for the playground. This
May we let Rec and Park know that
the Advisory Board would not partici-
pate this year.
The department always has the
option to organize a Family Fun Fest,
but it would be minus a lot of the ele-
ments that we contributed such as the
fund-raising. Last year we netted
$2,600 and the result has been our
on-stage play area. Besides the fund-
raising our role was to organize, and
publicize and get food contributions.
Work stated in January to get the Fes-
tival put on in May. But only two of us
have done all the work the past seven
years and it is time for others to vol-
unteer if the Fun Fest is to continue.
Some people have expressed inter-
est in taking over where we left off, and
if you are interested please contact me
to pass on your info. With your help
the Family Fun Fest could return in the
fall. n
Miriam Moss lives near the canyon and
has been the heart and soul of the Glen
Park Advisory Board. Contact her at
moss3x@earthlink.net.
Summer 2008 Page 17 Glen Park News
Glen Park News Page 18 Summer 2008

Kitten Season: Parents Wanted

Living here in San Francisco, it’s some-
times easy to forget that the calendar
year is divided into seasons. With our
beautiful weather year-
by round it may difficult to
Molly remember that the sea-
Wright sonal changes of spring,
summer, autumn and win-
ter are, in fact the driving forces behind
much of what happens in nature.
What you may not know is that
there is a kitten season here in San
Francisco. Every year, from May
through November, the San Francisco
SPCA is inundated with underage
orphaned kittens and mama cats with
their litters of kittens that need your
help. The SPCA Foster Care Program
takes in approximately 1,100 kittens
from San Francisco Animal Care &
Control and other shelters in the Bay
Area, and sends them to loving vol-
unteer foster homes until they are old
enough to return to the SPCA and be
adopted into permanent homes.
The SPCA is always looking for
dedicated foster parents to help us in
this life-saving program. The more
foster homes we have, the more kittens
we can save!
The average time commitment is
two or three weeks, so this is a great
short-term volunteer opportunity for
cat and kitten lovers. The Foster Care
Program will provide all the food and
medications required, but we need you
to provide the loving home to keep them
healthy and happy! n
If you are interested in becoming a
foster parent for underage kittens
(and, boy, are they cute!), please
contact Alison Lane at 415-522-3542
or alane@sfspca.org to sign up for a Cute, but only if they have homes. Photo courtesy of SPCA
foster class.

Glen Park E-mail Lists Real Estate in Glen Park

The Glen Park Association hosts a free electronic mail list open to all Glen
Park residents. It is moderated by membership coordinator Heather World
and consists of a weekly calendar and news update, with very occasional
late-breaking news stories and police updates. To subscribe, send e-mail to
glenparkassociation-subscribe@yahoogroups.com. Also, don’t forget the all-
new Glen Park Association website at www.glenparkassociation.org.
Other neighborhood lists include:
Glen Park remains a hot neighborhood for sellers in the residential real estate
market. The spring selling season was a busy one for us with
multiple offers, and most homes selling above the asking price.
by
The 20 properties that sold between Feb. 18 and May 26 topped
Vince
the number of homes sold the previous three months, when 13
Beaudet
changed hands. The mortgage markets finally are responding to
buyers’ financing needs, and lenders are now offering “super-
conforming” loans to buyers at attractive rates.

Ingleside Police Station Crime Report The 20 properties sold in Glen Park this spring:
Straight from the desk of Capt. Dennis O’Leary.
To receive a copy of the Ingleside Station Newsletter please send an e-mail to: Address List Price Sold Price
InglesideStationNewsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
156 Arbor $749,000 $685,000
Glen Park Parents 156 Arlington $859,000 $880,000
Over 550 families in Glen Park and environs. Includes groups for new parents 281 Arlington 1,025,000 $995,000
and parents-to-be. Moderated and spam-free. 183 Brompton $1,299,000 $1,300,000
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/glenparkparents/ 112 Chenery $1,050,000 $1,160,000
1870 Church $1,349,000 $1,605,000
Glen Park Expectant Parents group 2432 Diamond $1,669,000 $1,560,000
E-mail nvkamath@yahoo.com for information. 11 Harper $739,000 $775,000
55 Laidley $699,000 $615,000
Gay Glen Park 144 Laidley $1,050,000 $1,135,000
A low-traffic list for gay and lesbian residents, their friends and families. 62 Lippard $1,295,000 $1,250,000
Moderated and spam-free. 84 Monterey $749,000 $685,000
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gayglenpark/ 110 Moreland $789,000 $775,000
143 Moffitt $849,000 $810,000
Glen Park Dog Owners 71 Miguel $2,649,000 $2,649,000
gpdog-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 73 Miguel $3,295,000 $2,800,000
280 Sussex $849,000 $925,000
Glen Park-Fairmount Heights Neighbors Association 284 Sussex $885,000 $975,000
gpfhn-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 1779 Sanchez $998,000 $1,000,000
62 Sussex $1,225,000 $1,310,000
Fairmount Heights gay neighbors
FHLGBT-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
Realtor Vince Beaudet works for Herth Real Estate. He can be reached at 861-
5222 x333 or vincebeaudet@herth.com.
Summer 2008 Page 19 Glen Park News

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Glen Park News
Glen Park Association
Quarterly meetings are held the
second week in January, April, July and
October. Everyone is welcome, mem-
bers and non-members alike. Annual
membership dues of just $10 support
the Association’s important work on
behalf of the neighborhood.
Next meeting: Wed., July 9, 7 pm,
Glen Park Recreation Center. Program
includes District 8 Supervisor Bevan
Dufty and City staff members from the
Recreation and Park Department.
Friends of Glen Canyon Park
The Friends are planning autumn
events in the park. Meantime, you can
observe their handiwork as you stroll
through the canyon, although many take
the results of their efforts for granted. A
great way to learn about the canyon’s flora
and fauna is hands-on participation with the
people who work year-round to maintain
and improve our natural urban treasure.
Meetings and Plant Restoration
Work Parties: Third Saturday of each
month, 9 am–noon. Next dates: July
19, Aug. 16, Sep 20. Meet behind the
Recreation Center. Tools, gloves and
instruction provided. Learn about botany
and ecology, exercise your green thumb,
enjoy entertaining camaraderie or examine
public-lands management issues.
Weekly Work Parties: Every
Wednesday, 9 am–noon. For the current
week’s meeting place contact Richard
Craib, 648-0862.
To join Friends of Glen Canyon
Park or learn more about their activi-
ties, contact Richard Craib at 648-0862
or Jean Conner at 584-8576.
Glen Park Branch Library
Librarians have planned summer
activities for patrons of all ages and
interests. Programs range from music
for kids to internet instruction for
adults.
Check the branch for monthly
schedules. Here are some upcoming
events:
For kids of all ages:
Tue., July 8, 10:30 am: Original
music by Chris Molla.
Thu., July 10, 3 pm: Dog Talk with
SPCA.
Wed., July 16, 7 pm: Magic Makers,
stories and magic.
Thu., July 24, 4 pm: Crosspulse,
music and found sound.
Tue., July 29, 10:30 am: Knuckle Knock-
ers, mountain music for Appalachia.
Tue., Aug. 5, 10:30 am: Hop, Skip
and Jump.
Page 20
Community Calendar
Sat., Aug 9, 2:30pm: Summer read-
ing end party with Mark Bunnell and his
Carnival of Chaos.
For teens ages 12–18:
Fri., July 18, 3:30 pm: What You’re
All About: The Logic of Astrology.
Fri., Aug. 29, 4 pm: Beyond your
Brain: Introduction to Intuition.
For adults
Wed., July 9, 6:30 pm: Author lec-
ture: Eccentrics, Heroes and Cutthroats
of Old Berkeley.
Sat., July 19, 2 pm: Internet 101
training class.
Tue., Aug 19, 2 pm: Library catalog
training class.
Wed., Aug. 27, 6:30 pm: Lecture:
Home Preparedness in Earthquake
Country.
SFPD Community Forums
Third Tuesday of each month, 7
pm, Ingleside Police Station, Sgt. John
Young Way off San Jose Avenue at
Balboa Park. All residents are encour-
aged to participate in the informative
monthly Community Relations Forum.
There are refreshments, guest speakers,
and the opportunity to ask questions
and air your concerns. Drop in and get
acquainted with some of the dedicated
people whose job is keeping our neigh-
borhood safe. The main station number
is 404-4000.
Next dates: July 15, Aug. 19,
Sep. 16.
Rocket Dog Rescue
Sun., July 6, noon–4 pm: Dogs who
need homes will be wagging their tails
at Zephyr Real Estate, 4040 24th St.
This Bernal Heights-based, grass-roots,
all-volunteer nonprofit is dedicated to
saving homeless and abandoned ani-
mals from euthanasia in overcrowded
shelters. Information at 642-4786 or
www.rocketdogrescue.org. Volunteers
and donations are always welcome.
AIDS Walk San Francisco
Sun., July 20., Golden Gate Park.
Sign up at 615-WALK or online at
aidswalk.net.
Bird & Beckett
Bird & Beckett Books & Records,
653 Chenery St., presents a variety
of free literary and musical events.
Donations help support the series.
Check online for the latest information
at birdbeckett.com, or call owner Eric
Whittington at 586-3733. Summer shop
hours are 10 am–9 pm every day.
Live music options are expanding
in Glen Park. Friday evening live jazz,
a bookshop fixture for nearly six years,
is now supplemented by regular Sunday
afternoon concerts with an eclectic array
of performers.
All this culture is presented under
the auspices of the Bird & Beckett Cul-
tural Legacy Project, a new nonprofit.
Your purchases help the bookstore stay
open. Tax-deductible contributions to
the nonprofit Cultural Legacy Project
help keeps cultural programming alive
in Glen Park
Coming Events:
ØEvery Friday, 5:30–8 pm: Jazz
in the Bookshop.
July 4: Don Prell’s SeaBop
Ensemble.
July 11: The Jimmy Ryan Quartet
Ø Every Sunday, 4:30–6 pm:
“Which Way West?,” a concert series,
started in June, that presents a wide
variety of music representing “local
incarnations of global traditions.”
July 6: Struttin’ With Some BBQ:
A Tribute to Louis Armstrong. Musi-
cians Rick Elmore and Bill McGinnis
take the stage with others to celebrate
the great jazz trumpeter’s birthday.
July 13: The Edinburgh Street
Woodwind Ensemble.
July 20: Tango No. 9.
July 27: The Scott Foster Quartet.
& Three book groups meet
monthly at 7 pm; everyone is invited.
Bird and Beckett Book Club: 1st
Wednesdays. A book is discussed each
month; participants select the next
month’s book.
Political Book Discussion Group:
2nd Thursdays. Call for title of this
month’s book.
Eminent Authors’ Birthdays: 4th
Thursdays. Bring a short piece from the
works of a favorite writer born during
the month to read to the group.
& Literary Talks: Last Sunday of
each month, 3 pm.
July 27: June Ahern reads and signs
her new book, The Skye in June.
±First & Third Thursdays, 7 pm:
Poetry with Open Mic. This summer
several major Bay Area poets will read
and discuss the work of well-known
poets such as Walt Whitman, Emily
Dickinson and many others.
July 3: Poet Peter Sherburn-Zim-
mer and Songwriter Dan Harrington.
July 17: New York writer Robin
Messing reads from her new novel,
Serpent in the Garden of Dreams.
Special Events:
Sat., July 12, 4 pm: Poet Diane
di Prima reads unpublished outtakes
Summer 2008
from her memoir, Recollections of my
Life as a Woman: The New York Years
and some choice bits from her work-in-
progress examining her life and work
on the West Coast from the mid-1960s
to the present.
Tue., July 22, 7:30 pm: Mosaic art-
ist Collette Crutcher presents her book,
163: The Story of San Francisco’s 16th
Avenue Tiled Steps.
Glen Park Art in L.A.
You can’t see them locally, but if
you’re in Los Angeles between now
and July 19, be sure to view a display
of collages by Sussex Street artist Jean
Conner, at the Michael Kohn Gallery,
8071 Beverly Blvd. Now we know what
Jean was doing with her spare time
when she wasn’t busy cleaning up, or
writing about, Glen Canyon Park. n
Glen Park
News
Classifieds
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Jane Radcliffe 415-586-4577.
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house calls available. Gift cer-
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